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United States Patent |
5,293,804
|
Myers
|
March 15, 1994
|
Multiple resonant mode stringed musical apparatus and method utilizing
primary and secondary bodies
Abstract
A double ended musical mechanism having a primary body for anchoring
strings and containing electrical connections for electrical operation
including pickups, volume, and tone controls, a secondary body for
securing and tuning the strings and containing electrical connections, and
an interconnecting central body. The central body, between the primary and
secondary bodies, contains a number of hammer pads for temporarily
anchoring strings against so that when a string is anchored against a
hammer pad, two musical notes are produced, one each from the primary and
secondary bodies.
An additional embodiment includes the provision of an electrical pickup in
the central body so that when a string is anchored in two places against a
hammer pad, three musical notes are produced. Yet another embodiment
includes the provision of a primary neck with a device for anchoring the
strings which contains a number of hammer pads, a secondary neck for
securing and tuning the strings and containing a number of hammer pads,
and an interconnecting central body, located between the primary and
secondary necks, which contains electrical devices for operation so that
when the strings are anchored against the hammer pads, two musical notes
are produced.
Inventors:
|
Myers; Curtis P. (253 Lakeside Beach, Spicewood, TX 78669)
|
Appl. No.:
|
965730 |
Filed:
|
October 23, 1992 |
Current U.S. Class: |
84/291; 84/743 |
Intern'l Class: |
G10D 003/00 |
Field of Search: |
84/742,743,290,291,293,314 R,263,267
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1183369 | May., 1916 | Gardie | 84/291.
|
3780612 | Dec., 1973 | Robinson | 84/173.
|
4079652 | Mar., 1978 | Gittler | 84/743.
|
4240319 | Dec., 1980 | Soupios | 84/263.
|
4343217 | Aug., 1982 | Brody | 84/743.
|
4616550 | Oct., 1986 | Lacroix et al. | 84/173.
|
4785705 | Nov., 1988 | Patterson | 84/726.
|
4953434 | Sep., 1990 | Guss | 84/263.
|
4987815 | Jan., 1991 | Shockley | 84/291.
|
Primary Examiner: Shoop, Jr.; William M.
Assistant Examiner: Donels; Jeffrey W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shaffer & Culbertson
Claims
I claim:
1. A double ended musical apparatus comprising:
(a) a primary body means for anchoring strings and containing electrical
means for electrical operation including pickups, volume, and tone
controls;
(b) a secondary body means for securing and tuning said strings and
containing electrical means; and
(c) an interconnecting central body means between said primary and
secondary body means for containing a plurality of hammer pad means for
temporarily anchoring said strings against so that when a string is
anchored against a hammer pad, two musical notes are produced, one each
from said primary and secondary body means.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrical pickup in said
central body means so that when a single string is anchored in two places
against a hammer pad, three musical notes are produced.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said primary body means further
comprises:
(a) a means for anchoring at least six strings;
(b) a saddle bridge;
(c) at least one tone selector;
(d) at least one volume selector;
(e) at least one electrical pickup; and
(f) at least one electrical input jack.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said secondary body means further
comprises:
(a) at least six zither pins for securing and tuning said strings;
(b) a saddle bridge; and
(c) at least one electrical pickup.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said central body means further
comprise:
(a) a central hammer pad with at least eighteen hammer pads to either side;
and
(b) each hammer pad located at corresponding harmonic intervals.
6. A method of providing two musical notes at the same time from a single
string of a musical device comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a primary body means for anchoring strings and containing
electrical means for electrical operation, including pickups, volume, and
tone controls;
(b) providing a secondary body means for securing and tuning said strings
and containing electrical means; and
(c) interconnecting a central body means between said primary and secondary
body means for containing a plurality of hammer pad means for temporarily
anchoring said strings against so that when a string is anchored against a
hammer pad two musical notes are produced, one each from said primary and
secondary body means.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of providing an
electrical pickup in said central body means so that when a single string
is anchored in two places against a hammer pad, three musical notes are
produced.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein providing said primary body means further
comprises the steps of:
(a) providing an anchoring means for at least six strings;
(b) attaching a saddle bridge;
(c) attaching at least one tone selector;
(d) attaching at least one volume selector;
(e) attaching at least one electrical pickup; and
(f) attaching at least one electrical input jack to said primary body
means.
9. The method of claim 8 providing said secondary body means further
comprises the steps of:
(a) providing at least six zither pins for securing and tuning said
strings;
(b) providing a saddle bridge; and
(c) providing at 1 one electrical pickup.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of providing a central body
means further comprises the steps of:
(a) providing a central hammer pad with at least eighteen hammer pads to
either side; and
(b) locating each hammer pad at corresponding harmonic intervals.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved musical device for providing on one
string more than a single musical note at a time. In particular, this
invention relates to a double ended musical apparatus and method.
Musical instruments have been known since the dawn of time. Guitars, in
particular, have been an integral part of the world's societies for ages.
From classical guitar to rock and roll, guitars have flourished. A typical
guitar is a flat-bodied string instrument that has a long fretted neck and
usually six strings. It is played with a pick or plucked with the fingers
and sounds an octave lower than written. In addition to the long fretted
neck, the guitar shape is comprised of a strongly rounded lower portion
separated from a comparable but often smaller upper portion by a smooth
and gradual intermediate constriction.
Variations on the normal guitar include electric guitars. An electric
guitar is a guitar whose tone is magnified electrically by a microphone or
pickup device that is built into the instrument or attached externally, by
an audio-frequency amplifier, and by a loud speaker. The volume and
resonance, or tone, of the device is subject to control by the player.
Most guitars are hung or supported by the shoulder and held in front of the
player while the player stands or sits upright. A variation of this usual
manner in playing the guitar is represented by a so-called hawaiian
guitar. This type of guitar is a flat-bodied stringed musical device that
has a long fretted neck and usually six to eight strings. This guitar is
held in a horizontal position either on the knees of the player or on an
adjustable stand. It is played by plucking the strings with thimbles, the
desired pitch being obtained by sliding a small metal bar across the
raised strings.
There are still other variations of guitars, some guitars having more than
one neck, for example, but displaced in the same relative position as
"normal" prior art guitars.
A drawback to the non-electric and electric guitars known in the art is
that only a single note is obtained from any of the prior art guitars
whenever the guitar string is anchored against the fret. Thus, it would be
an advancement in the musical art, pleasurable and, indeed, there is a
need in the art, for providing a musical instrument in the nature of a
guitar that produces more than one musical note at a time. It, therefore,
is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for a
musical device that produces more than a single note at a time on a single
string.
SHORT STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the double ended musical device of the present invention
includes a primary body for anchoring strings and containing electrical
connections including, pickups, volume, and tone controls. A secondary
body is also provided for securing and tuning the strings which also
contains electrical controls. Interconnecting the primary and secondary
bodies is a central body which contains hammer pads for temporarily
anchoring the strings against so that when a string is anchored against a
hammer pad, two musical notes are produced, one each from the primary and
secondary bodies.
Another embodiment of the invention includes placing an electrical pickup
in the central body so that when a single string is anchored in two places
against a hammer pad, three musical notes are produced.
In the preferred embodiment, the primary body includes an anchor for
securing at least six strings, a saddle bridge, at least one tone
selector, at least one volume selector, at least one electrical pickup,
and at least one electrical input jack. The secondary body includes at
least six zither pins for securing and tuning the strings, a saddle
bridge, and at least one electrical pickup. The central body includes a
central hammer pad with at least eighteen hammer pads to either side and
each hammer pad is located at corresponding harmonic intervals.
Another embodiment of the invention includes a primary neck for anchoring
strings and which contains a number of hammer pads, a secondary neck for
securing and tuning the strings and containing a number of hammer pads,
and an interconnecting central body, located between the primary and
secondary necks, which contains electrical devices for operation so that
when the strings are anchored against the hammer pads, two musical notes
are produced. In this embodiment, the interconnecting central body
includes at least two saddle bridges, at least two electrical pickups, at
least one tone selector, at least one volume selector, and at least one
electrical input jack. The primary neck includes a saddle bridge and an
anchoring device for anchoring at least six strings and the secondary neck
includes a saddle bridge and at least six zither pins for securing and
tuning the strings. Additionally, the primary and secondary necks have at
least eighteen hammer pads on each and each hammer pad is located at a
corresponding harmonic interval.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will
become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings
in which:
FIG. 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the double ended musical
device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 4 is a top view of a third embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of
example in FIGS. 1-4. With specific reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a double
ended musical device 10 includes a primary body 12, a secondary body 14,
and an interconnecting central body 16.
Primary body 12 includes electrical input jack 18, three pickup selector
switches 20, two electrical pickups 22, a saddle bridge 24, a string
anchoring device 26, two volume control knobs 28, and two tone control
knobs 30.
Secondary body 14 includes electrical pickups 22, saddle bridge 24, and
zither pins 32.
Interconnecting central body 16 includes a central hammer pad 34, and
eighteen hammer pads 36 to either side of central hammer pad 34 spaced at
harmonic intervals. Stretched across hammer pads 34 and 36 are six strings
38 secured at one end by a string anchoring device 26 on the primary body
12 and at the other end by zither pins 32, which are also used for tuning
the strings 38.
Referring now specifically to FIG. 2, it can be seen that interconnecting
central body 16 is raised or bowed in relation to primary body 12 and
secondary body 14. The bottom 40 of primary body 12 and secondary body 14
is designed to contact the surface when the device is placed in the bottom
down position on a flat surface.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the present invention
is disclosed wherein interconnecting central body 16 also includes a
centrally located electrical pickup 42. The remainder of the device as
disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the same.
Referring now to FIG. 4, an additional embodiment of the present invention
is illustrated which includes a primary neck 44, a secondary neck 46, and
a central body 48. Primary neck 44 includes a string anchoring device 26
and eighteen hammer pads 36. Secondary neck 46 includes zither pins 32 and
eighteen hammer pads 36. While the number and arrangement may vary,
central body 48 includes electrical input jack 18, pickup selectors
switches 20, electrical pickups 22, and saddle bridges 24. Additionally,
central body 48 includes volume control knobs 28 and tone control knobs
30. As in the previously described embodiments, this embodiment includes
six strings 38 stretched between primary neck 44 and secondary neck 46.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation of the device includes the
steps of assembling the parts as detailed above in the manner illustrated.
Once assembled, strings 38 are tuned by zither pins 32 in a manner known
in the art. Once tuned, by means of picks, hammers, or hammer tips
attached to artist's fingers, the strings 38 are pressed against hammer
pads 36 in a manner known in the art. When this occurs, two notes are
sounded in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, one from the
primary body 12 and one from the secondary body 14. The number and manner
of the electrical devices used to amplify and modify the sound produced is
left to the discretion of the artist. The pickups are adjustable and, in
fact, the number of strings, length of the interconnecting central body,
width and shape, can be changed or customized as desired. The central
result, however, is that two notes are obtained on each individual string
when played.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the present invention
is disclosed wherein an additional centrally located electrical pickup 42
is installed in interconnecting central body 16. When this is
accomplished, it is possible to obtain three musical notes from a single
string, one from the primary body, one from the secondary body, and one at
the centrally located electrical pickup 42 by anchoring a single string in
two places.
FIG. 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention wherein the
controls and the pickups of the device are located in the central body 48.
The primary neck 44 and the secondary neck 46 serve to separate the
playing surfaces yet result in the same musical advancement in the
provision of two notes on any one string as it is played.
While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with the
preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that there may be
other embodiments which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the following claims.
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